


As She Walked Away

by Pinx_B



Category: New Game! (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Future Fic, Light Angst, Romance, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 09:12:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12407448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinx_B/pseuds/Pinx_B
Summary: Years pass from Ko's departure & Rin contemplates if a journey of self discovery led her to something more permanent...





	As She Walked Away

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

2 years had passed since that fateful day at the airport.

2 years that showed the steady decline of communication between the two.

2 years where she barely managed to catch a glimpse of her.

She understood; the uncoordinated time zones, the work, the priorities, she knew why.

That didn't lessen the ache she felt at feeling her slip away so painfully slowly.

Rin tried to maintain her level headed and cheery nature for the team, she hid her sadness remarkably well for someone who couldn't contain her stronger bouts of emotion when it surfaced

She had a job to do after all, a team to guide, new recruits to watch over, deadlines to meet and sponsors and suppliers to keep on the companies side. So she dove in head on in her work the first day of experiencing the strange sensation of not having Ko around. Something she hadn't felt since...they'd met.

Her eyes kept straying to Ko's booth whilst one of the trainees was asking a question and she tried to remain focused on what she asking. But sometimes, Rin would feel like she was seeing Ko from the corner of her eyes, a mere apparition that lingered for a second before vanishing as soon as she turned her attention there.

She knew it was all in her head of course, though it didn't mean that she'd remain hopeful for that one second before having it crushed by reality. It allowed her to savour the moment of her mind playing tricks on her as it was better than accepting she wasn't even in the same country as her anymore.

Still, Rin went on with her days either burying herself in her work and forced laughter and smiles around the office or seeming detached from everything when she was at home, waiting for Ko to contact her or trying to get through to herself.

All things considering, she wasn't breathing down Ko's neck as much as she thought she would've done because she knew the blonde needed this experience to place the building blocks of her future together.

She wondered if that future was being built without her however.

The idea of that made her nauseous, to know that Ko was slowly erasing her out of her life. Replacing her with someone else probably. Someone who wasn't as clingy or in her face like she was. Someone who was probably more beautiful than herself. Someone she had more in common with. Someone who was full of life and ambition as Ko herself was.

Rin slumped over Ko's chair as those thoughts reverberated around her mind.

"I would think that Ko would disagree with whatever you're thinking".

The teasing voice only belonged to one other.

"Hazuki-san!"

Rin stood up as the woman gave her signature grin at getting a kick of appearing out of nowhere.

"I..It isn't like that..I wasn't.." Rin stammered off whilst trying to deter Hazuki from playing around with her further.

"Your cute face is as red as Mozuku's necktie!" the Director gushed with her hands on her own face and rocking side to side, stars in her eyes, "Wait a moment, I definitely need to take a picture of this. Ko will love it".

"Hazuki-san!" Rin whined out in protest as she flushed a deeper shade of red.

The Director laughed and put her phone away, beckoning Rin to follow her, "Now that's a welcoming change of expression. I believe you are due a break so take a moment to relax will you".

They walked into Hazuki's work space where tea and snacks were already prepared, as if she had sixth sense about the inner turmoil that Rin was putting herself through. The Producer wouldn't be surprised by that at all.

"I'm fine really, I should be getting back to work".

"Sit" Hazuki motioned to the opposite chair in a mock authoritative voice, "Director's orders".

Rin sighed and did as she was told. She appreciated the woman's effort but right now, she didn't feel like talking, especially about Ko. She felt like it was pointless and just needed to let the blonde do what she needed to do. But if Hazuki had seen through her façade of everything being fine and, "Dandy!" she heard Hajime shout out from her booth, there was chance that the others may have picked up on it. Maybe not for the start of the duration Ko was gone, but definitely within the last few months when the calls became rushed conversations, texts turn to vague one liners and webcam chats became non-existent.

Hazuki passed her a cup and she thanked her, "I'm really fine, Hazuki-san".

"You're not the best of liars, Rin" Hazuki countered, "Besides, it's my responsibility to make sure that all employees are at their best both work wise and health wise. Including.." the continued with a tap of her finger against Rin's temple, "Up here".

Rin knew she was simply being looked out for so when she tried to word out what was stressing her about in her head, it sounded petty to herself.

"And no, there's no such thing as issues sounding silly".

Hazuki grinned when Rin opened and closed her mouth, "I told you, I can see through everything".

"That sounds dubious".

"Indeed it does" she dreamily replied at the delightful imagery in her head.

Rin shook her head and decided to bring the Director out of her indecent musings, "I'm worried..about Ko-chan and about where we stand. Yes, I know it sounds ridiculous but she's so distant, both literally and figuratively that I don't know how to process it".

Hazuki went into thought mode for a moment, opting to go straight for the fear in Rin's mind that she was trying to tiptoe around in discussing, "You mean you are worried she's found someone else in the country of love and forgotten about you?".

"You don't have to say it like that!".

Hazuki laughed, "It sounds impossible doesn't it?".

"I.. I don't know".

"Let me ask you this, do you trust Ko?" Hazuki questioned and gauged the woman's reaction carefully, already knowing what to expect.

"Of course! I trust her with my life, Hazuki-san. That's an absurd question".

"Oh? Is that so?".

"Of course" Rin replied defiantly, "There isn't a person in this world more that I trust than her. She's determined, she's dedicated, she's loyal to everyone she adores. Even more so now after opening up since Aoba-chan joined" she added whilst staring into her tea and letting her own words sink in, "It's not Ko that I don't trust, it..it is my own.. ".

"Insecurities are only natural to have, Rin. That is nothing to beat yourself up about and as you said yourself, one half of the equation of knowing that the one you love is trusting them to the extent that you do. The other half is accepting that they also have the utmost trust in you. That is evident in the way Ko puts you on a pedestal despite how much of an oblivious blockhead she can be".

Rin chuckled at that and looked back up, "She is a blockhead isn't she" and breathed out softly, "Did I just make it more troublesome than it was by assuming the worst?".

"As I said, it's only natural" Hazuki replied, relieved to see the woman not appear as despondent as she had done recently, "It's hard to distinguish when the mind loses its virtues of common sense because we think of always the worst. That being said.." she said with a shake of her head, "It'd help if Ko really wasn't so blasé about setting up a schedule of some sort to keep in touch".

"That was my job remember?" Rin smiled at the thought of the unorganised yet brilliant woman that Ko was, "It's no wonder she's everywhere. I almost feel sympathetic for whoever has to deal with that".

"Christina's sister most likely" the Director winked, "I wonder if she's just as cute as her too".

There was Hazuki's other side again Rin sighed with amusement. She really was the epitome of eccentric and Rin was constantly grateful for having her as the Director.

"Thank you for this, Hazuki-san. I guess I needed a good talking to".

The woman waved it off as Mozuku strolled in as if owning the place and siding up to Hazuki to be picked up and pet.

"You're not here alone, don't forget that. I mean I could fill in for Ko when it comes to..".

"Hazuki-san!".

Hazuki was delighted in Rin going red in the face again and laughed out, "It was worth a try".

"You..you..I need to get back to work!" Rin huffed out before gathering her thoughts, "But, thank you again".

"The pleasure was mine. At least you'll be able to work like you normally do now" she said and chuckled when Rin rolled her eyes and left the workspace.

 _"You most definitely will"_ she thought to herself whilst petting a sleepy Mozuku.  


***

The day ended well enough & on a much more positive note than it had done for a while now. Rin had a soft smile on her face whilst walking up to her apartment and thinking of Ko and their memories together. The watch around her wrist seemed to reflect her musing as it was shielded by her jacket and she couldn't help but to pull her sleeve back and run her fingers over it.

Ko was always full of surprises, she knew there'd be so many stories she would come back with whenever she felt ready. She'd come back to her, that she had to keep in mind as Hazuki had instructed.

When she thought back to when she heard Ko and Christina discussing her leave, Rin recalled her heart dropping to the floor and her blood run cold. It took everything for her not to run out at that moment and plead for her to stay, for her to rethink things, for her not to leave her.

But Rin knew why she didn't as the only thing stopping her was Ko's happiness. That was what it came down to and that was the only way she had stopped herself from going insane whilst being apart from the blonde.

That this decision to leave made her happy.

And that she'd come back.

She pulled her sleeve back down and retrieved her keys from her pocket, opening the door and for a moment allowed the loneliness to creep back in with no Ko around. But it was fine, _"I'll be okay, as long as Ko-chan knows that I love her and do miss her"._

Closing the door, she took her jacket and shoes off whilst heading towards the living room, contemplating whether to eat first or shower. She felt exhausted, a good kind of exhausted for a change.

She must have been more exhausted than she thought as she was imagining that Ko was stood in her living room, a big grin on her face and her dazzling blue eyes seemingly full of unbound energy and happiness.

"Huh" Rin said as she shook her head and closed her eyes, squeezing them tight, "I really should get some sleep too".

"You got that right! You're always telling me to look after my health and yet there you are, sleep deprived..but still looking as lovely as ever.

Warm hands cupped her face and Rin's eyes flew open.

Ko was there. She wasn't dreaming. Those were her hands on her face. Those were her eyes staring at her. Those were her lips forming a grin. Ko was there.

"I'm back, Rin".

"Ko-chan! What are you doing here?!" she jumped back with a yelp as the vision of the blonde in front of her sunk in.

Her heart was racing too fast that it hurt & she felt like pinching herself to make sure for one last time that she wasn't dreaming.

"Eh? What kind of greeting is that?!" the woman replied and pouted whilst stepping towards Rin again.

"You-you're supposed to be in France" she mumbled out and felt herself melt when Ko engulfed her into a hug, a firm and possessive hug, _"I'm definitely not dreaming"._

"I was but now I'm not" Ko laughed and sighed in content at finally being home again, "I thought I'd surprise you".

Rin was in disbelief as she pulled away slightly, tears pooling in her eyes. "You really are here, Ko-chan" she whispered and trailed her fingertips over the blonde's face, then running them down her hair before slowly moving them up to her cheeks again, "You're here..".

"I missed you too, Rin" Ko smiled, her face warming up at the range of expressions running through Rin's face, the surprise was totally worth it to see her that way.

And though she wanted to speak more, as did Rin, there was one part of their reunion that hadn't been completed so without further ado, Ko brought a hand up to Rin's chin and titled it up.

Rin trembled in her arms for a second till she closed her eyes and felt the familiar feeling of Ko's soft lips pressing against hers in a firm yet fleeting manner. She gripped her shoulders whilst her body became limp at such a tender action but it was always enough to make her feel so weak. Thinking was on the back burner now, the only thing Rin wanting to focus on was to feel Ko around her again, that took precedence and the way they were stood their with lips swaying over each other's made the wait to see her worth it.

"Sorry about the lack of calls recently" Ko said and linked their hands together after they ceased the kiss for a moment, "I wouldn't have been able to pull this off if I hadn't got everything done and dusted so that I could surprise you".

"So that's why you were so distanced".

A smirk crossed Ko's face at the relief washing over Rin, "You didn't think I had ran off with some French lady did you?".

"What?! No, o-of course not!" Rin quickly replied and pushed Ko away but the blonde had a firm grip of her waist.

"Ah you're lying, I can tell!".

"I'm not!".

Ko continued laughing as she pulled them back and onto the couch, silencing Rin's further protests with another searing kiss that the woman gladly sunk into as they both felt the normality of their life already fix itself.

They had so much to make up for, so many hours to spend together be it at work or home, simply soaking up each others presence again.

And for Ko, as much as she'd gathered plenty of experience in terms of work wise, her soul searching started and ended right where it began and had always been; with Rin.


End file.
